He's My Howse!
by HOUSEocdfan
Summary: A short little one shot between House and Rachel. She is probably a little bit older in this story than on the show but not by much.
1. Chapter 1

He's My Howse!

House sat on the couch watching Sunday morning TV, Cuddy had been called in to the hospital for an emergency that nobody else could deal with….why that was he didn't know, somebody else can fix a boiler surely. But it was her baby so she had to go, leaving him with her other 'baby'. He had baby sat a few times at night but Rachel was normally in bed or going to bed, so no real talent was needed for that, but this was different, he could be with her on his own for the whole day. The thought of that made him feel quite anxious.

As he was thinking those thoughts, he heard the pitter patter of little feet moving slowly and sleepily down the hallway. He took a side glance, hair all over the place, pj's half tucked in and out, teddy in one hand and the other rubbing the sleep out her eyes, she did look kinda cute. She looked at him directly as she came into the lounge and sat up next to him. She looked around the room "What you watching?" She enquired, resting her head against his arm. "TV" He stated. She looked at him and rolled her eyes "You silly, you're watching Spongebob" she stated. She looked around the room again "Where's Momma?" She questioned. "Work" He answered looking down at her "Just you and me today kiddo" He said turning his head back to the TV.

A small grin game to her face "Can I have chocolate Ice Cream for breakfast" She said with a cheeky smile.

He couldn't help but smile, she knew exactly what she was doing "Only if you have some pancakes with it" He countered, knowing Cuddy would kill him if he let her just have ice-cream. "Ok" She said quietly. He looked down at her again. Raised himself off of the couch with his cane and held out his hand. "Come on then kiddo lets go make some ice cream and pancakes". They meandered off slowly together to the kitchen to make their breakfast, both knowing that although they would make pancakes, they would probably eat them later, much later.

They took their time getting washed and dressed, there was nothing special they were doing today, he hoped she would be content to sit and color or watch cartoons. She had been coloring for about an hour when she peered up to him "Can you take me to park today, please" She asked sweetly. He looked directly at her with no emotion on his face, but his heart was beating at 100miles an hour. "hmm, I think it's going to rain, we'd better stay in" He answered hoping his answer would suffice. She got up and looked out the window to brilliant blue sky with not a cloud to be seen. She turned back to him "Howse you silly it not raining, come lets go out!" She said smiling from ear to ear.

She came straight over to him and pulled at his hand "Rach, there's a Rug Rats Marathon starting in like 10 minutes, surely you don't want to miss that" He countered, he really didn't feel comfortable taking her to the park on his own. She stood in front of him, eyes cast down, putting her finger to her mouth, the big puppy dog eyes looked like they were about to cascade with tears…"pwease" she stated looking at him under her hair. He looked from her to the TV and back to her, he really couldn't be dealing with a full blown melt down. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath "fine" he said letting out the breath he had been holding. "Go get your shoes on" He instructed.

It wasn't long before they were at the swing park, having had to walk a fair distance from the car that he had had to park out on the road to the entrance he was already feeling the strain of the outing. But Rachel had held his hand all the way and was now looking at him for permission to go play, so he let go of her hand and gave a slight nod "Stay where I can see you" He said sternly.

She ran off to the climbing frame and he followed not far behind and waited in the background, he could really do with sitting down but that just didn't seem like an option. He saw her run from the climbing frame to the large slide happily chatting to another child so he made his way there too. As he came by them waiting in line on the steps for the slide he heard the other child say "Is that your Grandad?" to Rachel, he was half tempted to get the child by the scruff of the neck and say NO! But when he heard Rachel's response it made him smile "No he's my Howse?" she responded without hesitation. He then made his way to the seat he had spied nearby to let Rachel continue her play.

The girl that Rachel was talking to looked at her with a thoughtful expression "I have a Dad and a Grandad but not a Howse!" "What's a Howse?. She questioned.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders "He's my Howse, he reads me bedtime stories, makes me breakfast, sometimes takes me to school and we watch TV together" She stated.

"Uh! Wish I had a Howse" She said sadly "My Daddy used to do things like that with me but he moved out and has a new family. Maybe a Howse is your Daddy" Then she slid down the slide and ran off to the next piece of equipment.

Rachel took her time going down the slide, she was deep in thought and looked a little troubled. House could see the change in her so called her over. She came over to him straight away and he could see she was deep in thought. "You ok kiddo?" He asked softly. She stood in silent thought for a moment "Are you my Daddy?" She asked innocently. House was more than a little shocked at the question and had no idea what to say. He bounced his cane up and down for a moment trying to find the right words. "What makes you say that?" He countered playing for time.

"That girl said that she wished she had a Howse because her Daddy moved out with a new family and doesn't play with her anymore. She said you might be my Daddy because you do lots of things with me" She answered.

"Right" He said still not really knowing what to say next. "I don't know kiddo, maybe we should ask your Mom when she gets home" He said softly knowing he had just bailed out.

"Ok" She said seemingly satisfied with his answer and walking off in another direction, she then turned around and came back to him "But you will always be my Howse right?"

"Course Rach, I'll always be your House!" he said with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**He's My Howse – Part 2**

House sat on the couch deep in thought. They had returned from the park to find Cuddy home and he had thought for sure that Rachel would ask 'the question' as soon as she saw her. But to his relief she hadn't. Cuddy was now putting her to bed so he had dodged that bullet all together.

He looked around the room, he liked their arrangement. They had been together a couple of years now, he spent a few nights a week at her place and a few at his. It worked out well for both of them. If you started throwing the word 'Daddy' in the mix things would change and he didn't like change. He liked things just the way they were. None of the responsibility of being a Dad, he had no influence on her right now, he could just read her a bedtime story or take her to the park once in a while and that was all.

"House?" Called Cuddy gently. "House, you ok? Rachel has been calling you"

"hmm. What?" He said coming out of his daydream "Yeah I'm fine. What does she want?" He said a little too roughly.

"Just a bedtime story, she likes how you change up the character voices, apparently I am redundant!" She said smiling at him.

He looked at his watch "Isn't it a bit late, it's a school night?" He questioned.

"No she's fine. She's waiting for you, you don't think she'll go to sleep until you've read to her do you" She said laughing.

She watched as he got up and groaned all the way down the hall, smiling to herself. He really didn't know how good he was with her or how good he made her little girl feel. She wished she could make him understand. She sat back on the couch for a minute thinking about their relationship. They had been dating for a couple of years now. He stayed at his place a few nights a week and with her the rest. She knew he liked it like that. He still had the space he needed, but she did wish sometimes that he would just move in with them or that they could even find their own home together. Rachel would love it if House was there every night and so would she. But she also knew that he needed to do things in his own time, they were in no rush, they had forever. And if this was how it stayed then that was ok with her too.

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House reached Rachel's bedroom and went straight to the window seat instead of clambering up onto her low cabin bed like he did sometimes. He perched is cane against the wall and silently groaned as he sat down and absentmindedly rubbed his thigh. Today had been a long day. He looked up at Rachel who was watching him closely "Your leg hurt?" She asked sadly.

"Everyday" He stated looking straight at her. "You going to bring your book down here then?" He questioned.

She just looked at him again, her eyes down cast. "It my fault your leg hurts" She stated with a tear rolling down her cheek. "From going to the park"

"What? No. Course it's not" He said gently "Come here kiddo" He gestured with his hands. She didn't respond to him. So he lowered his head slightly and put on his best pirate voice "Come here ye bloody scallywag!" They still watched the reruns of that show together when Cuddy wasn't around. She smiled, grabbed her book and joined him. He took a side glance at her and took the book from her.

"Rach, my leg always hurts you know that." He said quietly. He hated talking about this with her. But he had to try and get her to understand it wasn't her fault.

She looked at him as if she wanted to say something, but kept quiet. "What is it? You know you can ask me anything" He stated.

"It hurts more today, because I made you take me to the park?" She responded

"No. It just hurts more today." He flicked through the book without looking at it and looked back at her. "There are days when I can move around the house with little use of the cane and there are other days when I can't move without it. Pretty sure you've seen both days by now haven't you?"

She nodded her head at him. "Today is just one of those days. It's not your fault I promise"

She nodded at him again and shuffled closer to him. "Shall we read the book now" He asked.

"Yeah" She said putting her head against his arm.

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House rejoined Cuddy on the couch looking a little apprehensive. "You Ok?" she asked.

"Fine" He deadpanned looking at the TV

"House, come on what happened" She questioned again.

"Nothing happened. She just thinks that my leg hurting is her fault! And that's just wrong! He said with remorse "I think I should go" He said getting up again.

"Wait!" Said Cuddy reaching up for him "It's not your fault either, House. She cares about you. She cares when you're in pain"

"Yeah well, she shouldn't, she's 5yrs old!" He said moving off to get his coat.

"Howse, where you going?" Came a tiny voice from the hallway.

"Home" He said gruffly

"Not yet I forgot to ask Mommy that question" She said quietly.

House stopped in his tracks and put his head down. "Not a good time kiddo"

"What question Rach?" Questioned Cuddy

Rachel looked from House to Cuddy. House was looking scared and Cuddy was looking worried. "Is Howse my Daddy?" Cuddy immediately looked at House, who flipped his head up quickly "No, Rachel I'm not" He said abruptly and picked up his coat and keys.

Rachel smiled at both of them "Good, I don't want Howse to be my Daddy" Then walked off again.

House turned and walked out the front door while Cuddy sat and wandered what had just happened. She got up and went to see Rachel who was quietly laying on her bed. "Rach, what was all that about, what happened in here" She asked whilst stroking the hair off of her forehead.

"Nothing happened" She said innocently

"So why don't you want House to be your Daddy?"

"Cause, if he is my Daddy then he might go away and I don't want him to go away ever. So I just want Howse to be my Howse not my Daddy" Said Rachel with sincerity.

Cuddy was by now very confused she had no idea what this conversation was about, but she knew for sure that there was nothing bad about it. She called House on his cell a few minutes later.

"What?" was the answer she received.

"I just had a really confusing conversation with Rachel. I have no idea what she was talking about."

"What did she say?" He questioned.

"I asked her why she didn't want you to be her Daddy. And she said and I quote "Cause if he is my Daddy he might go away and I don't want him to go away ever. I just want Howse to be my Howse not my Daddy" unquote. You got any idea what that was about?" She questioned.

She heard a very faint laugh come from the other end of the phone, realising he knew exactly what it meant. "So?" She asked impatiently.

"Nothing" He said quietly.

"Right! Come on House don't leave me like that. I want to know what it meant" She said getting frustrated.

"Didn't mean anything accept she likes things just the way they are" He said putting the phone down. Just like he did.

Cuddy looked at her phone in disbelief. _Those two were like 2 conniving pirates_ , _just like me and my Dad were. Just like father and daughter…..They both may think that he's not her Daddy but she knew he was. They would get there eventually._ She looked at her phone again and smiled. She texted him quickly "We love you xx….. and then went off to pour herself a glass of wine, what a lovely weekend they had had.


End file.
